


Revelations

by academy_x



Series: in which Julian visits David [2]
Category: Marvel (Comics), New X-Men: Academy X, X-Men (Comicverse), Young Avengers (Comics)
Genre: M/M, POV Julian Keller, Post-Young Avengers vol. 2
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-14
Updated: 2018-03-14
Packaged: 2019-03-31 12:01:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13974696
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/academy_x/pseuds/academy_x
Summary: Julian wakes on the floor of David's apartment after a night of drinking and proceeds to panic.





	Revelations

**Author's Note:**

> so i found out that theres 3 other people out there who care about this ship which motivated me to create more content. this was supposed to a short 500 word epilogue to good times where they kiss but julian didnt want that he wanted to be dramatic and now its 4000 words (which is longer than the original/part 1)
> 
> also sorry for tagging this a young avengers lol but david is a young avenger and it deals w his situation after ya vol 2 so i guess its appropriate?
> 
> also also i say fuck in this one, does literally anyone care about that? does that mean its not suited for general audiences? who the fuck knows..

Julian wakes up on the floor with an aching head. His mouth is dry and tastes like the inside of an ashtray. His right arm feels numb and heavy. Julian turns his head to look, ignoring the flare of pain. It takes a second for his brain to catch up with his eyes. It's David. Lying on his arm. Looking like he belongs. He must have laid there all night because Julian's arm is throbbing. He needs that arm back. Even more so, because he also desperately needs to piss.

Julian takes the time to gingerly maneuver his arm out from under the still sleeping David. He lifts David with telekinesis and summons a pillow that slides in under his head, resting him back on the floor. David doesn't stir, and Julian feels oddly happy that, after all that they have gone through, David can still sleep peacefully.

It's a short trip to the bathroom. After relieving himself, Julian turns the faucet to the coldest it will go. He directs the water into his mouth. It's more dignified than sticking his head under the tap, but just barely. He's trying hard to not think of how natural it had felt to wake up next to David. Trying harder to avoid thinking about how it hadn't just been next to him. It had been with David in his arms. Julian splashes some water in his face and stares into the bathroom mirror. He looks a mess. He runs a hand through sleep-tangled hair and sighs. He should brush his teeth, shower, change his underwear, but all his stuff are in his bag, and his bag is in the living room. With David. Even facing him sleeping is too much. Julian fiddles with the hem of his shirt. David loaned it to him yesterday. Julian had to roll up the sleeves, but David didn't comment, just told him the green suited him. The sleeves have come undone during the night. They hang down past his wrists. He sloppily pushes them up over his elbows.

Julian floats silently back into the living room. He means to quickly grab his towel and a change of clothes then vanish back into the bathroom, but David catches his eye. He looks strikingly beautiful lying there. The sun is streaming in through the half-closed blinds, accentuating his brown skin with gold. Julian wants to kiss him right then and there. He doesn't, of course. David is basically unconscious, and Julian does have standards. More importantly, so does David, and Julian is pretty fucking sure that he doesn't qualify. Besides, it's not like Julian likes him. David just looks good in the morning light.

His duffel bag floats into his hand, carefully swerving in a wide arc around David. Julian grasps it tightly and returns to the bathroom. He roots around, fishing out his towel and hanging it on a free hook. He slips out of David's shirt, all the buttons unbuttoning at once. It had taken Julian a long time to learn that trick, but once mastered it really made undressing easier. Made it look cooler, too.

Julian turns on the shower and tentatively sticks out an arm, testing the temperature. It's a little cold, so he turns it up before getting in. His metal hands rest on top of his bag. They could probably withstand the water, but he'd rather not risk getting rusty joints. He picks up David's soap, feeling a little guilty about using it without asking. It's a nice soap. It has a pleasant, neutral smell, not too heavy. A lot like David. Which makes sense because it's his soap. Julian groans at his own idiocy, wishing he could ignore how his heart is fluttering in his chest.

So he's attracted to David. But only a little, and only because David is the first guy who's kind of available that Julian has met in a while. Not that he's been seeking them out. Julian is still low-key about his whole attraction to men thing. He's known for some time, and he's fine with it. He doesn't need a big drunken coming out like David had at New Year's with all the old New X-Men.

Julian has only told a couple of people. Cessily of course, she was first. Laura and Sooraya too. They were all cool with it. Excessively supportive, you might say, but Julian isn't going to over-analyze. If they have something to tell him, they can do it when they want. Julian is working himself up to telling Santo. Not because Julian loves or trusts him less. Santo just can't keep a secret for shit, and Julian isn't really sure if he's ready for his entire social circle to know. He really needs friends who aren't on the x-kids group chat. Maybe Julian shouldn't even be telling people. He isn't really sure about labels. He knows he likes guys, and he's dated girls before, but did he actually like those girls, or did he just think he was supposed to. Julian sighs. Not everyone can be like David and have everything figured out. He stands still, letting the water wash over him. He grits his teeth. This was supposed to get the thoughts out of his head, not put more in.

Julian spends more time in the shower than he probably should. He hopes David's building isn't one of those that only gets so much hot water. David will want to shower too. Julian towels off his hair by habit and wraps it before remembering that he can telepathically remove every drop of water. Whatever. The towel wrap is a look. He compensates for forgetting by making his bag hover in front of him and using telekinesis to leaf through his belongings. It takes him a full minute to locate his toothbrush, and no matter how long he searches, he can't find the toothpaste. He borrows some of David's instead. It comes in a neutral package that reads recommended by 9 out of 10 dentists. Julian can't taste any difference.

When he finally exits the bathroom, David is gone, no longer sleeping on the floor. Julian follows his nose into the small kitchen. The smell of eggs hang in the air. David is standing at the stove. He looks unfairly good for someone who's wearing clothes that he both went drinking and slept on the floor in. When he hears Julian enter, David turns and smiles. Then, spotting the towel still wrapped around Julian's head, his smile widens, but not in a cruel way. Like they're sharing an inside joke. It makes Julian feel... _something_. He can't help but smile back.

"Can you take over? I really gotta use the bathroom," David asks. He holds out the spatula.

Julian nods, and David disappears. Julian turns to the stove, poking at the scrambled eggs. He does his best to actually pay attention to them and not just think about how David had looked at him. He'd been so happy. Julian is rapidly re-evaluating his relationship to David. Heat is rising in his cheeks. He pokes angrily at the eggs. It's like he's developed a crush overnight. Julian has always fallen hard and fast, but this is Northstar-fast, calculus-hard. Fuck. He frantically shushes the voice in his head that whispers that maybe this isn't a new thing. Maybe it's been growing ever since they first met back when it was still Xavier's.

Julian hears David come into the living room. He glances back, through the open doorway, and sees David changing out of yesterday's shirt. Julian forces his gaze back to the eggs. He shuffles them miserably. David was turned away from the door, giving Julian full view of his muscles back. It was barely a second, but the image is burned into his mind. Julian tries to pretend that all he's feeling is jealousy of David's phenomenal physical form, but it's hopeless. He forces himself to think about how he really does need to start working out more. What he really wants to think about is how the rest of David is likely equally muscled. Julian fills the kettle and sets it to boil. Maybe the hissing noise will drown out his thoughts.

David pats back into the kitchen, barefoot, having changed into sweatpants and a t-shirt. He stretches and yawns, and Julian gets a peek at his toned stomach. It's a lot. His eyes go a little wide. He almost wishes he could forgot, go back to ignoring, but Julian's revelations always hit him like a forcebeam. It's a wonder that he hasn't realized it before, but of course Julian is also very good at avoiding his feelings. Right up until he isn't. It had been easy to pretend that all the conflicted emotions he's had about David only stemmed from the fact that David had been his friend, sort of, and then abandoned them, in Julian's mind at least, when he had chosen to stay with Cyclops.

David walks slowly towards him, but it's still a surprise when he stands right next to Julian. He looks over Julian's shoulder to inspect the eggs and gives a little nod. Julian takes that to mean _good job_. David stretches out and arm and grabs a bag of toast. It's just airtight with a green plastic tie and about a third of it has been eaten. It's whole wheat. David fishes out two slices and pops them in the toaster. He doesn't bother resealing the bag. The toaster ticking mixes with the kettle hissing, too loud and nearly unbearable.

"You know if I'd known I'd have to share the couch, I'd have just coughed up the cash and gone to a hotel," Julian says.

"I'm sorry," David says. He sounds disturbingly earnest. "I should've-"

"Chill," Julian interrupts him. "It's fine. You want some eggs? Water should be done boiling in a second too."

David nods and pulls open drawers, producing mugs, plates and cutlery. His movements are languid as he sets the table. There's barely the sound of porcelain clanking against wood. Julian shuffles the eggs roughly one last time before deciding they're done. He feels wired, buzzing with thoughts. The pan floats to the table and drops down with a dull thud. David gets the toast, and Julian the coffee, then they both sit down.

For once in his life, Julian doesn't say anything, just focuses on eating his toast that's slathered in honey. His heart is beating a mile a minute. David definitely knows. Now that they're settled in, it's just a moment before he says something. He's only waiting to figure out how to put the rejection in nice terms. Julian stabs at his eggs and gets a large chunk stuck on the fork. It's too big to eat comfortably. He shoves it in his mouth anyway. There's no way David is interested in him. Julian feels unexpectedly sad about that. He's only just realized he wants this, and now it's going to get taken away. Yesterday had been nice. Beyond nice. Maybe they've both mellowed out a little as they've gotten older because they'd really clicked. And Julian would like for them to click some more.

"Julian?" David says.

Julian's head whips up. His heart hammers.

"Mind if I turn on the radio?" David asks.

"The radio? Yeah, of course, that's fine. I'll get it," Julian says.

He sends his left hand flying towards the radio on the kitchen counter. With the press of a button, gentle jazz flows from the speakers. David nods his head in tune with the music. He smiles, gently. Julian takes a big gulp of coffee and tries to breathe like he hasn't just finished a marathon.

"You ever play?" Julian asks.

"Huh?" David responds.

"Music," Julian says. "I mean, you know what, like every instrument in existence?"

"Eh, not really. I mean I know how to play, but I just... don't?" David says, rubbing the back of his head. "Don't own any instruments either."

Julian nods. He isn't sure why he brought it up in the first place. Maybe he'll go out today. Pick up a recorder or something for David. That would be a funny joke, and definitely not a way for Julian to casually display his affection. He probably won't. David would see through him in a heartbeat. It's a shame though that David doesn't have a guitar or something lying around. Julian would have liked to hear him play something.

Julian considers letting them fall back into companionable silence, but he's worried that David will ask him something to get the conversation going again. Something that will make him blush and stutter. If David wants to pretend to not notice Julian's feelings, then he's at least not going to be obvious about it. So Julian asks David about his work. It's pretty boring, but David is happy to talk about it with only the occasional nod or question. He drones on about the illogical filing system they're forcing him to use. It's easy enough to fake interest because David has a very nice voice.

There's a pause in David's office monologue as he stands up and moves to the counter.

"Make a cup for me too?" Julian asks. He yawns into the crook of his elbow.

"I was making more toast, but sure," David says.

It's a small mistake, but Julian still feels like a fool. He's glad that David has his back turned to him. Something, and Julian knows exactly what, has him feeling hyper-aware around David. He shakes his head. The corner of the towel comes lose. Julian doesn't bother to tuck it in, just tears the whole thing off and hangs it over the back of a free chair. He runs a hand through his still damp hair, trying to push it into some sort of style.

Julian makes the instant coffee float over to him and drops a generous scoop in his cup. David returns to the table with toast in one hand and the kettle of hot water in the other. He pours it in Julian's cup, and then, while Julian is busy stirring, dumps two spoonfuls of sugar in the cup, unprompted. Julian is oddly touched by David remembering how he likes his coffee.

"So when's your concert?" David asks.

"Nine," Julian says.

"Got anything else planned for today?" David pushes on.

Julian shrugs. Half of him wants to get the hell out of the apartment. The other half is desperate to stay near David.

"I'm feeling kinda tired," Julian lies. "Might just stay in for the day if you don't mind having me."

"Of course not. Please stay. It's not a problem at all," David says, smiling.

Julian could swear it looks like David is happy to have him around. Huh. He can't think about that right now or he will literally explode so he changes the subject to toast. Specifically where David buys his. It's pretty good bread. David tells him and then talks about baking his own bread whenever he has the time. Being able to cook is steadily climbing higher on Julian's list of partner must-haves.

Julian finishes his coffee faster than he should. He keeps taking sips instead of talking. He wants to make a third cup just to have something to do, but he really doesn't need to be more jumpy than he already is. He's finished his eggs and toast too. His stomach is a hard knot, making seconds impossible. David is still eating his toast at a leisurely pace like he doesn't have a care in the world. Fucker.

To justify staying in the kitchen, Julian does the dishes. He turns to face the sink and makes his cup, plate, knife and fork float over there. He finds soap and a dishpan under the sink. The dishwasher is broken, and David's landlord won't let him fix it himself. Julian would've thought that David had lost his belief in authority by now but apparently not. It's fine. Not like Julian minds doing it by hand or rather telekinesis. It's a bit of a juggling act, keeping everything in the air, washing a cup and drying a fork at the same time, but Julian manages. He even makes the lather dance in the air, just for his own amusement, and definitely doesn't keep glancing in David's direction to see if he is smiling. Which he is.

"You want the last eggs?" Julian asks. "Then I'll get the pan, too."

"Yeah, sure. Thanks," David answers.

The eggs fly to David's plate, and he digs in. Julian makes dip itself in soapy water and slathers it all over the pan. He scrubs hard for longer than what is probably necessary. David takes his final sip of coffee. Julian nods at the cup and then at the sink. David nods back. The cups flies over to the sink, splashing into the soapy water.

"Hey, thanks for doing the dishes," David says, smiling. "I could get used to this."

"No problem," Julian answers, heart hammering. "It's easy with my powers. I just sit back and let the telekinesis work its magic."

"You say that, but Tommy, who can do the dishes in under a second, categorically refuses to do them any more than everyone else when we have team dinners," David says. "I guess it's fair, though. Just because it seems like a second to us, doesn't mean it feels like that to him."

It takes Julian a couple of seconds to connect the name Tommy to the speedster on the Young Avengers. His brain really isn't working as fast as it should. David mentioned Tommy a couple of times yesterday too, so Julian should know who he is. It sounded like the two of them hang out a lot, without the rest of the team too. The club that him and David had been to yesterday was one Tommy had told David about. Julian pushes down the irrational envy churning inside him.

Julian steals some of David's eggs. Just floats them right off the plate and into his mouth.

"Hey!" David says. He clutches his chest, mock-hurt.

Julian smiles back at him, mouth wide open and full of half-chewed egg.

"Now that's just disgusting. Nobody wants to see that," David says. He is grinning.

David wolfs down the rest of his eggs and toast. He keeps glancing nervously at Julian and then protectively down at his plate. Julian restrains himself from stealing any more. He hadn't even really wanted the eggs. He'd just wanted to act.

"You wanna watch a movie or something?" David asks after swallowing his last bite.

Julian nods, and that's how he finds himself back on David's couch, with David right next to him. There's barely a hands-width of space between their thighs. Julian swears he can feel warmth radiating off of David. Julian takes a deep breath. David moves a little, trying to settle into the most comfortable position. His shoulder bumps into Julian's, who stays stock-still, not sure whether to flinch or lean into the touch.

"You have any preferences?" Davids says as the tv boots up netflix.

"Anything's fine. Maybe something with-!" Julian says, stopping as he catches a glimpse of David's continue watching-queue. "Wait. You watch soap operas?"

"Oh, you know. They remind me of the good old days," David jokes.

He looks at Julian in way that says he clearly remembers who started a good part of the x-kid drama. Julian flings his hand theatrically to his mouth and gasps. David cracks up. His laughter fills the room. Julian feels warm.

"Well, we're not watching that," Julian says.

David ends up putting on some vampire movie from the early 00s. The blood and gore is bright cgi red, and the acting occasionally over the top and awkward, but it's ok. Julian only catches half of the dialogue anyway because David keeps talking over it. He knows exactly which shots are homages to iconic movies, which actors secretly hated each other, and he insists on telling it all to Julian. Thank god for subtitles. When David has a particularly interesting fun fact, he turns his head and looks at Julian, leans in a little bit. Julian can feel David's hot breath on his cheek. Can feel his cheeks heating up.

"Stop that. You're so close I can smell your bad breath," Julian lies and roughly pushes David's face away.

"Fuck you," David says, laughing.

David pushes him right back, hard enough to make Julian fall. He lands on his back, bouncing on the sofa. They jostle for a while, movie forgotten, never actually getting violent enough to fall on the floor. Usually Julian and his telekinesis have the advantage in play-fights, but David is supremely distracting. Julian manages to get on top of him, but David gets a leg wrapped around him and flips them. David has a few pounds on Julian, and as much as he shuffles, Julian can't throw him off. He's certainly too out of it to try tk. He can barely keep his hands close to his arms. His body is burning, heating up everywhere David touches it. David pushes his weight down, pinning him further. He laughs triumphantly as Julian lets out a strained groan.

"I'm just gonna stay like this," David announces.

"I don't mind," Julian says, barely speaking above a whisper.

Julian regrets the words, the moment they leave his mouth. David doesn't respond. Maybe he didn't hear. Julian doubts it. He wouldn't get that lucky. In the silence that follows, it's like they're not fighting anymore. It's like they're cuddling or something. Julian is going to vibrate out of his skin. He takes tiny breaths, can't get enough air.

"I'll just uh- sorry..." David says, sitting up. "Hope I didn't squash you."

That's a rejection if Julian's ever heard one. Indirect, delicate, terrible, but a rejection nonetheless. Julian sits up. He runs a hand through his ruffled hair and sighs. David looks at him curiously. It fills Julian with irrational burning anger. David's been avoiding this all morning. Too fucking polite and non-confrontational to just say no. Julian wants to make him.

"So aren't you gonna say anything else?" Julian asks harshly.

"What?" David says. He looks at Julian with big clueless eyes. It's an act. It's got to be an act.

"About you know..." Julian says, his hands flying about wildly, gesturing.

David squints at him. Julian buries his head in his arms and groans.

"You seriously haven't noticed?" Julian asks quietly.

His head still mostly hidden in the crook of his elbow, but Julian can see David out of one eye. He's looking at Julian, really looking, for the first time all morning. He blinks several times, slowly. He takes a deep breath like he's about to say something then stops himself.

"Do you like me?" David asks, like he can't quite believe it. "Like _like-_ like me, I mean."

"Yeah," Julian grits out. He's really glad that David can't see his face right now. His cheeks must be flaming.

"Hey," David says. "Don't be like that. It's not- I don't _not_ like that. I mean it's ok. Good."

David puts his warm hand on Julian's shoulder. Julian twists his head up and finds himself staring into David's beautiful brown eyes. Julian reaches out his arm slowly, still half-expecting David to pull away. He slings it around David's shoulder, bring them closer. They're so close. Julian could count each of David's long eyelashes. He tilts his head forward, an invitation. David surges to meet him, and it's electric. David has such soft lips, and he tastes slightly like coffee. The kiss lasts barely a second, but it leaves Julian grinning from ear to ear. David is smiling too. He reaches out a hand to tuck a loose strand of hair behind Julian's ear. His fingers drift down Julian's burning cheek, thumb stroking the corner of his mouth.

"You really wanna do this?" David asks. "With me?"

"Yeah," Julian says. It's been a long time since he was this certain about anything. "You?"

"Yes," David says. "It's not something I've ever really thought about, but..."

"You're saying you've never fantasized about how it would be to kiss me? I'm hurt, David. Hurt!" Julian says.

David laughs, just like Julian wanted him to. It's easier to make it into a joke and pretend that this is all new for him too. That these feelings haven't been hiding since they were sixteen. Julian doesn't really want to think about it so he leans in and kisses David again. That's better.

**Author's Note:**

> hope you liked it, leave a comment and make my day :^) 
> 
> ps: please tell me if the bit w julian taking off the towel wrap was weird bc that was the last thing i wrote after finishing all the editing and for some reason i struggled a lot with it :/
> 
> also lmk if you catch any typos


End file.
